Some of the Most Impressive Safety Features Coming from Volvo in 2025

Volvo has always been at the forefront of automotive safety, and the 2025 models continue this legacy with advanced driver assistance technologies designed to make every journey safer and more comfortable. The upcoming Volvo EX40 and Volvo EX90 will introduce new safety features and refine existing systems to offer one of the most comprehensive safety suites available. Let’s explore some of the standout safety technologies in these new models, explaining in detail how they work and, more importantly, how they benefit you in everyday driving.

1. Driver Understanding System: Monitoring Attention and Alertness

In the 2025 Volvo EX40 and EX90, Volvo introduces the Driver Understanding System, an advanced technology that keeps a close eye on the driver’s state of alertness. This system uses interior cameras and sensors to monitor eye movements, head position, and even how you handle the steering wheel. If the system detects signs of drowsiness or distraction, such as heavy eyelids or delayed reactions, it will first alert you with visual and audio warnings.

In more critical situations, where you might not respond quickly enough, the system can even take proactive measures by tightening the seatbelt and preparing the car’s safety systems to intervene. This technology ensures that drivers stay attentive, reducing the risk of accidents caused by fatigue or loss of focus.

2. Safe Space Technology: Enhancing Awareness in Urban Environments

Volvo’s new Safe Space Technology is designed to offer enhanced protection in crowded urban environments. This system is particularly valuable for detecting pedestrians, cyclists, and small objects around the vehicle, which are often missed by drivers. Using a combination of sensors, cameras, and radar, the system creates a real-time 360-degree view of your surroundings.

For example, while driving in a busy city, if a cyclist approaches from behind as you prepare to turn, the Safe Space system can alert you to their presence, helping you avoid a collision. Additionally, this technology works when the vehicle is parked. If it detects a passing pedestrian as you’re about to open your door, it will issue a warning to prevent potential “dooring” accidents—a feature especially useful in urban settings.

3. Advanced Collision Avoidance with Intersection Assist

One of the standout safety features in the 2025 EX40 and EX90 is the enhanced Intersection Assist system. This technology is designed to prevent accidents at intersections, where many collisions occur. Using cameras and radar, the system scans cross traffic when you’re approaching an intersection. If it detects a vehicle running a red light or making an unsafe maneuver, it can automatically apply the brakes to avoid a collision.

In practical terms, imagine you’re about to cross an intersection, and a vehicle unexpectedly runs a stop sign from your left. The Intersection Assist system would detect this danger before you might even notice it, applying the brakes in milliseconds to avoid an impact. The system also works during left-hand turns, where the risk of oncoming traffic colliding with your vehicle is high.

4. Proactive Safety Through Lidar Technology

The 2025 Volvo EX90 takes safety to the next level by incorporating Lidar technology, which isn’t commonly found in most vehicles. Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) uses laser pulses to create a detailed 3D map of the vehicle’s surroundings, providing a level of accuracy that cameras and radar alone can’t achieve.

This technology can detect obstacles, pedestrians, and even small animals at greater distances and with better precision, even in low-light conditions or bad weather. For instance, if a deer were to suddenly cross the road ahead at night, the Lidar system would identify it early enough to give the driver more time to react or for the vehicle to take autonomous braking action. Lidar’s ability to detect subtle changes in the environment makes it a game-changer for accident prevention.

5. Hands-Free Highway Assist: Easing Long-Distance Drives

The Hands-Free Highway Assist system in the 2025 Volvo EX90 and EX40 is designed to make long highway journeys safer and less tiring. When activated, this system takes over steering, acceleration, and braking on well-marked highways, allowing you to take your hands off the wheel for extended periods. However, the system keeps monitoring your attention levels, ensuring that you remain alert.

Unlike basic adaptive cruise control, which only manages speed and following distance, this system can maintain lane position even around curves and handle lane changes when you signal. It’s especially useful during long drives when fatigue can set in. For example, if traffic ahead suddenly slows down, the Hands-Free Highway Assist will smoothly reduce speed while keeping your vehicle centered in the lane.

6. Enhanced Blind-Spot Monitoring with Steer Assist

Blind-spot monitoring has long been a staple in Volvo’s safety arsenal, but in 2025, the EX40 and EX90 take it a step further with Enhanced Blind-Spot Monitoring with Steer Assist. This system not only alerts you to vehicles in your blind spot but can actively intervene by steering the vehicle back into your lane if it detects an attempted lane change that could lead to a collision.

Let’s say you’re on the highway and begin to drift into another lane while a car is in your blind spot. The system would issue an alert, and if you don’t respond in time, it would gently steer you back, avoiding a potential crash. This technology offers added confidence during lane changes, especially in high-traffic areas.

7. Cross-Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking

Backing out of a parking space or driveway can be risky, especially when your view is obstructed. The Cross-Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking system in the 2025 Volvo EX40 and EX90 mitigates this risk by detecting approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists from either side of the vehicle as you reverse.

If a vehicle or pedestrian suddenly enters your path while you’re backing up, the system first warns you with audio and visual alerts. If you don’t stop in time, it can automatically apply the brakes to avoid an accident. This feature is particularly useful in busy parking lots or when reversing into a street with limited visibility.

Conclusion

The 2025 Volvo EX40 and EX90 bring some of the most advanced driver assistance technologies to the market, enhancing safety in ways that go beyond simple alerts. Whether through Lidar, advanced collision avoidance, or hands-free driving, these systems are designed not just to protect but to actively prevent accidents, making every drive safer and more comfortable. By integrating these features with Volvo’s legendary safety ethos, the brand continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in automotive safety, ensuring that drivers and passengers are more secure than ever before.